1. Technical Field
This invention relates to guides and, more particularly, to a hose-guiding implement and associated method for channeling a hose along a non-linear passageway during gardening activities.
2. Prior Art
Gardening and landscaping are important and satisfying aspects of home ownership for both men and women. As these activities allow people to use both the intellect and physical strength, they can contribute different talents to creating something that is both tangible and enjoyable. Whether bordering a home with a vibrant collection of floral beauties, pruning hedges to alluring and intricate shapes, fashioning a vegetable garden to supply fresh foods, or simply mowing a lawn to attractive precision, lawn and garden enthusiasts find joy, relaxation, and a sense of accomplishment in improving the outside appearance of a home.
As many homeowners will attest, perhaps the most important step in lawn and garden maintenance is to ensure that grass and plants receive plenty of hydrating Water. Those who do not wish to depend on chances of rainfall, or those who live in perpetually dry areas, usually tend to watering needs themselves by manually spraying the greenery with a water hose. While this is an effective means of infusing thirsty yards and flowers with much needed water, this method can prove laborious and time consuming. Particularly, guiding a heavy water hose over and through lawns and gardens is fraught with challenges. Not only does the user have to constantly straighten the hose to keep water flow unobstructed, but the long and unwieldy source of water can be difficult to navigate without causing damage to existing flower beds and bushes. As a result, a relaxing outdoor activity such as gardening can become exhausting, tiresome, and frustrating before the task is complete.
One prior art example shows a preferably unitary plastic hose guide for guiding a hose mounted on a building above the ground so that a hose is lifted high enough to avoid contact with obstacles located on the ground adjacent a building while being deployed and used. In one embodiment, an elongated guide member has a J-shaped curved trough for retaining a hose placed in it. The trough has downwardly curved entrance and exit lips to facilitate hose movement into and out of the trough. The lip of the J-shape retains the hose in the trough by preventing the weight of the hose from dragging the hose outwardly and downwardly out of the trough, while readily permitting lifting of the hose out of the trough when desired. A mounting bracket spaces the guide member from the building where it is removably secured by headed fasteners.
In another embodiment, the unitary plastic guide has a semi-circular trough with a generally C-shaped cross section to direct the hose around a corner of the building. The hose is retained by one protrusion extending upwardly from the extended lower lip of the C-shape to retain the hose within the trough during hose movement. Headed fasteners on the building cooperate with keyhole-shaped slots to removably mount the hose guide on the corner of the building. Unfortunately, this prior art example does not assist a user to guide a hose along a ground surface during operating conditions.
Another prior art example shows a retractable hose guide for guiding a hose through and around gardens, flowerbeds and other yard emplacements. The retractable hose guide is permanently placed in the ground. It overcomes the problems of being a permanent obstacle in the yard, of being susceptible to damage, of having to be removed after each use, or of presenting a safety hazard. A hose may be moved freely around the yard, being guided by the retractable hose guide, thus avoiding damage either to the hose or to the landscaping. The retractable hose guide is placed in the stored position by pressing on the cover by hand or foot, compressing the spring and allowing the spool to be hidden in the body. The retractable hose guide is secured in place by engaging bayonet tabs into bayonet sockets by a simple twist of the cover by hand or foot. Unfortunately, this prior art example does not allow a user to define a predetermined travel path of a hose using removable bodies to guide the hose. In addition, a smaller user may not be able to position the entire apparatus as needed when not in use.
Accordingly, a need remains for a hose-guiding implement and associated method in order to overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a system that is convenient and easy to use, is lightweight yet durable in design, and allows a user to channel a hose along a non-linear passageway during gardening activities. Such an apparatus provides gardeners with a simple and effective means of managing water hoses while tending to lawns and other vegetation. The apparatus helps to ease the difficult task of lugging a heavy hose all over a property. In addition, the apparatus helps to keep a hose straightened at all times, eliminating the need to interrupt the watering process to “un-kink” the hose. The present invention is inexpensive, easy to install, and designed for many years of repeated use.